Breaking Bad is an
American dark comedy/
drama television series created by
X-Files co-producer
Vince Gilligan. The
AMC network, on which the series premiered
January 20,
2008, originally ordered nine episodes for the first season (including the
pilot), but the
Writers Guild of America strike limited the production to only seven episodes.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-USAToday1-16-08_0-1>
[1]</SUP>
The series stars former
Malcolm in the Middle cast member
Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a struggling
high school chemistry teacher with a
handicapped child and pregnant wife. When the already tense White is diagnosed with terminal
lung cancer, he breaks down and turns to a life of crime, setting up a
meth lab in order to support his family.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-1>
[2]</SUP>
The title of the series comes from the
Southern American English slang phrase "to break bad," meaning to challenge conventions, to defy authority and to skirt the edges of the law. The series is set in (and is shot in and near)
Albuquerque,
New Mexico.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-2>
[3]</SUP>
A
viral marketing campaign hosted at
www.waltswisdom.com was launched by
AMC to promote the series. Users could create personal messages to send to friends in which Walter White (
Bryan Cranston) calls them by name and berates them for not living their lives to the fullest.
Shit, only seven episodes? Fucking writers guild.